Hi guys! I said 4 posts but am making it into 3, so this will be the last post for now. Here are some blood group studies and some medical information of importance to MLGN descendants. Nancy S THE MELUNGEONS: THE PIONEERS of the INTERIOR SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES 1526-1997 by Eloy J. Gallegos On p. 80 of the above text, Eloy Gallegos provides a Table giving the Mean Measure of Divergence (MMD) of Melungeons from Other Populations taken from a 1990 study by James L. Guthrie. (THIS IS NOT DNA.) Dr. Gallogos stated (p.79) that, Overall, I believe the gene frequency approach taken to resolve Melungeon origins is the best available given the limited funding and time available for the project, however, it is equally important to support gene frequency studies with historical, cultural, linguistic, and archaeological information which might be obtained from the Melungeon group. Finally, a study of human values, traits of this group...etc, world-view, religious aspirations, motivational traits, eccentric and habitual behavior, and idiosyncrasies could be used in support of establishing Melungeon origins when compared to other world population groups. A perfect match meaning that a person is to be considered absolutely pure blooded, would equal 0.000. I believe that the most distant match indicating no connection whatsoever would be 0.999. POPULATION MMD Libya (Tripoli*) 0.017 Cyprus (Toodos-Greek) 0.017 Malta* 0.018 Canary Islands (Spanish) 0.019 Italy (Veneto) 0.022 Close Matches Portugal 0.024 Italy (Trentino) 0.026 Spain (Galacia) 0.027 U. S. Whites (Minnesota)+ 0.028 Ireland# 0.029 Italy 0.030 Sweden 0.030 Libya (minus Fezzan) 0.030 Germany 0.031 Britain 0.031 Greece 0.032 Netherlands 0.032 Wales 0.033 Corsica 0.034 France 0.035 Spain 0.036 U. S. Whites 0.036 England 0.040 Sicily 0.040 Iceland 0.041 Northern Ireland 0.042 Finland 0.046 Sardinia 0.051 Turkey 0.053 Cyprus 0.058 U.S. Blacks 0.189 Distant Matches Gullas (Blacks South Carolina) 0.222 Seminole, Oklahoma 0.241 Cherokee 0.256 Seminole, Florida 0.308 * The Arab/Berber (Moorish) component of the Spanish/Portugese of today. +Probably Swedes. Could reflect the Moorish in Swedes. # Married into Melungeon families in the S. E. U. S. Does not include Northern Ireland. In spite of the close corrolation between the Turks and the Melungeons, Dr. Gallegos, who is of Spanish/Portugese extraction, does not agree with Dr. N. Brent Kennedy on Melungeon origins. His book is aimed toward the Spanish/Portugese expeditions prior to the establishment of the English on the American continent in 1607. In the * above, he says that the Moorish component came through the Spanish/Portugese whose genes combined with the Moors, rather than from that group of people themselves. MEDITERREAN DISEASES WHICH MAY AFFECT MELUNGEON DESCENDANTS BECHETSYNDROME is a relapsing, multi-system inflammatory disease in which there are oral/genital ulcers. There may be inflammation of the eyes, joints, blood vessels, central nervous system and gastrointestinal tract involvement. Attacks last about a week to a month and recur spontaneously. Onset is usually between 20-30 years of age with symptoms ocurring up to several years after the onset. Twice as many men as women are affected. There is a genetic predisposition, with autoimmune mechansism and viral infection which may all play a part. Related disorders are Reiters Syndrome, Stevens Johnson Syndrome, and Ulcerative Colitis. JOSEPHS DISEASE is a disorder of the central nervous system with slow degeneration of particular areas of the brain. Lurching gait, difficulity in speaking, muscle rigidity, impairment of eye movement, are involved. Mental alertness and intellect are preserved. Josephs disease is inherited through autosomal dominant mode of transmission, which means that it takes only one parent with the marker for you to have a 50% chance of inheriting the disease. Type I, begins about age 20 years, Type II, about 30 years and Type III, Machados after 40 years. This disease is very similar to Parkinsons Disease. Medicines are L- dopa and baclofen. FAMILIAL MEDITERREAN FEVER is a hereditary genetically restricted disease commonly found among Jews originating from North African countries, Armenians, Turks and Arabs. Closely following the pattern of autosomal recessive inheritance (both parents must carry a recessive gene) , FMF is recognized by two independent manifestations: 1.) acute, short-lived painful, bouts of stomach pain, (may be followed by diahrrea); pleuritis, an inflammation of the lining of the body cavities, and/or some of its internal organs, which in its acute stage may produce, stabbing pain in the side or affected cavity, possible fever of 101-103 degrees, similar to gallbladder/kidney stone attacks/inflammation, and short, dry cough and body pain similar to arthritis and fibromyalgia and 2.) nephropathic amyloidosis, which can lead to terminal renal failure even at a young age. In half of the people this disease appears before age ten. The gene for FMF is located on the short arm of chromosome 16, yet the exact nature of the disease remains unclear. Foggy-headedness (inability to think clearly) may also be a part of the symptoms because of inflammation of the brain lining which causes the brain to swell. Fatigue (severe) can also be a problem. Infertility and pregnancy loss in women with FMF is much more common than it is in the general population. The identification of FMF is based on clinical findings, family history, physical examination and laboratory results obtained from patients experiencing attacks. No specific diagnostic test is available. There are four gene mutations that cause FMF. The genes have been identified and I have heard that this should lead to the development of a blood test to identify the disease in people. Amyloidosis affects most untreated FMF patients. In its early stage it can be recognized by protein in the urine. The medicine colchicine which comes from a plant that grows in the Mediterrean and is also used to treat gout, is effective in controlling this disease. Colchicine treatment was first introduced in 1973 and in a dose of 1-2 mg/day on a continuous basis, has been found to prevent attacks in most patients and amyloidosis in all patients. Colchicine treatment has been shown to be safe and entirely suitable for FMF patients. Through genealogical research and coming across this medical information, I realized that I suffer with FMF. I asked my doctor to diagnose it, by giving me a short course of colchicine to see if it would work. He didnt think I had FMF but agreed to my wishes and within two hours of taking the first dose, I knew it was going to help. I believe that I have had this disease since about 8 years of age. It took 50 years to diagnose it. At first, I took 0.06mg once a day, and have increased that after 6 weeks to twice a day. My previously diagnosed FIBROMYALGIA is gone! I still have RA-like symptoms, but even those seem to be improving, however. If you take a few days worth of colchicine and your symptoms are not gone, then in my opinion you dont have FMF. If anyone has been diagnosed w/ fibromyalgia, arthritis, and/or have an unknown problem, I have a fuller version of the info on FMF. Pls e-mail me directly and ask for more info. SARCOIDOSIS is a disorder which affects many body systems. It is characterized by small round lesions of granulation tissue. The ones I have seen are about the size of a quarter and flat. Symptoms may vary with the severity of the disease. Fever, weight loss, joint pain, with liver involvement and enlarged lymph nodes are common. Cough and difficulty in breathing may occur. Skin disease marked by tender red nodules with fever and joint pain is a frequent manifestation. Onset is usually between 20 and 40 years. THALLASEMIA, a blood disorder which involves aenemia. If you have had a mysterious disease that physicians have had trouble diagnosing, and you have any of the above symptoms, it is imperative that you bring this to your physicians attention. The opinions in this post are strictly my own, but have been based upon my reading and research of various materials noted herein.